With a career total of 99½ sacks and an NFC starter in the last six Pro Bowls, Ware is a player who opposing offenses factor into their game plan each week.

For some players, having such credentials might provide an excuse for taking a few plays or days off during training camp.

But not Ware, who treats every practice like it's his last.

"It's just like school," Ware said. "As long as you go to school, you need to learn as much as you can.

"Guys come in with certain moves, different moves. Everybody watches film, so you've got to have something new that you are going to bring to the table week in and week out. And that's what I try to do."

For his defensive teammates, Ware is the gold standard when it comes to production and approach. Younger players study how he prepares and feed off the enthusiasm he brings to every aspect of the game.

Fellow outside linebacker Victor Butler said he's still amazed at the intensity Ware brings to his job every day.

"He's a future Hall of Fame player, but he's a guy who's never too good to get better," Butler said. "He's out there learning from rookies, veterans, offensive linemen. He talks to (tight end Jason) Witten. He's taking in information from everybody and he's applying it."

Ware believes he can learn from even his younger teammates.

"Those guys coming in have some different moves, but I try to steal them," Ware said. "I feel like if you stay young, you stay in this league for a long time. ... That's what I think team is about, helping each other out and not feeling like we are above everybody. Put yourself at that level, where everybody is the same and let's get the job done."

Head coach Jason Garrett knows his job is a little easier because of Ware.

The third-year head coach believes the people who achieve the most are always looking to do even more.

"I think DeMarcus is a great example of that," Garrett said. "We have a number of players who are really good examples of that, guys who are consistent Pro Bowl players who are wanting more, wanting more out of themselves, wanting to learn from the people around them.

"They just push themselves and that's a really, really important concept for anybody but particularly for a leader on a football team. They're great examples for the rest of the group. To me, ultimately, that's what leadership is about."

Ware is part of a core group of players, which includes quarterback Tony Romo and Witten, who have had great individual success but are still searching for the big prize as a team.

Playing in the same division with the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants, and in a conference which has produced the past three Super Bowl winners, Ware knows he will ultimately be judged by how many titles his team wins.

"You can have all the accolades, you can break records, whatever you do, that doesn't mean anything," Ware said. "Every player plays, especially if you are a competitor, you play for that main thing and that's getting to the (Super Bowl).

"Because that word, I know exactly what I'm saying, that means team. That means the team that fights through adverse times. All the guys are ready for that."

Ware and his teammates won't have to wait long to see exactly where they stand in the NFC East pecking order. They will open the season on Sept. 5 at New York, and will be present to watch teh Giants raise their Super Bowl banner.

From the first offseason workout, Ware said he's thought about the opening game with the Giants, knowing it could set the tone for the entire season.

While he agrees that the Giants and Philadelphia Eagles will be top contenders for the division title, Ware is excited about the progress the Cowboys defense has made during the offseason.

Because of the lockout last season, the players didn't have proper time to learn intricacies of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's system. The defense struggled for much of last season, but Ware believes it will be different this time around.

"I had (Bill) Parcells, I had Wade Phillips, and now I've got Rob Ryan with his complex defense," Ware said. "I think this is one of the smartest defenses because you got to have multiple mindsets. If you are a defensive lineman, (you must) be able to rush from multiple positions. I think it's one of the smartest defenses in the league."

One of Ware's secret weapons in his fitness regiment is yoga. The Cowboys brought in a yoga instructor during the offseason and Ware said a lot of his teammates took advantage of the opportunity to increase their flexibility.

"A lot of the (retired) guys like Charles Haley or Jay Novacek or (Ed) 'Too Tall' Jones, Leon Lett, they always come in and say if you want to have longevity in this league, you got to stay flexible to sort of keep your explosiveness and keep your agility," Ware said. "And all the guys are really keying on staying flexible and stretching."

As the Cowboys prepare to break camp, Ware knows it's time to take the intensity to another level. As the seasons go by, Ware is aware his window may be closing. Ware has a good idea of what the kind of team the Cowboys must be this season.

"A fundamentally sound team, but a relentless team, a team that doesn't give up in most situations," Ware said. "And if you are down or you are up, guess what? Put the pedal to the metal and don't turn back."